Christmas gifts: Enabling Robert to review items he can't afford at a particular moment at no cost for years. Wonderful. Midnight Rec: Mirror's Edge I'm a sucker for a good platforming game. I'll just go back again and again to the same ones to have fun with a bit of a challenge. Mirror's Edge is a new type of platforming game with a much steeper learning curve than the classics I grew up with. So, the writing? Not spectacular, to be honest. It's a standard dystopia from utopia, wrongfully accused, action/thriller story. The innovation is in the mechanics, which are executed brilliantly. Apparently, my understanding is free running is considered a sport by some? Where people literally run through a city, jumping off buildings and climbing on things they shouldn't? Like in the promos? Watch in HD to actually see anything, unfortunately: Turns out in the future, couriers working outside the regulations of the government use free running to deliver messages and investigate things. And, naturally, you play a free runner. So, the platforming element? Very freeform. You have objectives (red objects show you where to go, but are difficult to spot at times), but no clear direction. You're not Superman, so you can't jump to a higher building across a street, but you might make it by swinging on a drainpipe or catching the bottom end of a fire escape. It's innovative, and only kind of annoying when people start shooting at you. And only annoying because it's a distraction from the free running mechanic. If you like beautiful platforming games, give it a go on the XBOX360 or PS3. I really haven't stopped playing since I got it, rare for me with newer games.

Labels: Midnight Rec